Rotating a log rapidly in the water (as a competitive sport)

• Act of exchanging favors for mutual gain
• Back-scratchers' activity

The Collaborative International Dictionary Word definitions in The Collaborative International Dictionary
Logrolling \Log"roll`ing\, n. (Logging) The act or process of rolling logs from the place where they were felled to the stream which floats them to the sawmill or to market. In this labor neighboring camps of loggers combine to assist each other in turn. ...

Wikipedia Word definitions in Wikipedia
Logrolling is the trading of favors, or quid pro quo , such as vote trading by legislative members to obtain passage of actions of interest to each legislative member. In an academic context, the Nuttall Encyclopedia describes logrolling as "mutual praise ...

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary Word definitions in Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
also log-rolling , in the legislative vote-trading sense, 1823, American English, from the notion of neighbors on the frontier helping one another with the heavy work of clearing land and building cabins (as in phrase you roll my log and I'll roll yours ...

WordNet Word definitions in WordNet
n. act of exchanging favors for mutual gain; especially trading of influence or votes among legislators to gain passage of certain projects rotating a log rapidly in the water (as a competitive sport) [syn: birling ]

Wiktionary Word definitions in Wiktionary
n. 1 The rolling of logs. 2 A concerted effort to push forward mutually advantageous legislative agendas by combining two items, either or both of which might fail on its own, into a single bill that is more likely to pass. 3 Mutual recommendation of friends' ...